Paris Saint-German’s preparations for Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League clash against Chelsea have been plunged into disarray after the club suspended defender Serge Aurier on Sunday evening.
Right-back Aurier admitted to taking part in a social media video, uploaded to Periscope, in which he appeared to direct homophobic insults towards manager Laurent Blanc and star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Following the publication of the video on Saturday evening, the Ivorian defender, 23, was told not to train with the PSG squad on Sunday and it is understood that his representatives held lengthy talks with the club’s hierarchy on Sunday afternoon.
He will play no part in Chelsea’s visit to the Parc des Princes, has been suspended indefinitely and on Sunday issued a grovelling apology as he attempted to resurrect his reputation and career at the Parisian club.
Sources in France also suggest he will receive a hefty fine in excess of £75,000.
The controversy took place on Saturday night, when Aurier, who has made 24 apearances for PSG this season, held a question and answer session with supporters via Periscope.
During the broadcast, he aimed insults at his manager Laurent Blanc, forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and full back Gregory Van der Wiel.
One participant asked Aurier if his manager Blanc engages in oral sexual activity with Ibrahimovic, to which the player replied: ‘He takes everything’. In the same video, Aurier goes on to describe his manager as ‘une fiotte’, which translates into English as a faggot – a pejorative term for a homosexual.
Aurier proceeds to to describe fellow team-mate Van der Wiel as ‘wetter than wet’ and when he is asked if he prefers German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to the Italian Salvatore Sirigiu, the defender highlights Trapp is the better option. Aurier then claims that Sirigu is ‘guez’, a colloquial term which would translate as ‘useless’ or ‘finished’.
In a statement on Sunday evening, a PSG spokesman said: ‘The club has decided to open disciplinary proceedings accompanied by a suspension. Serge Aurier will therefore not feature as part of the squad to take on Chelsea, this Tuesday, in the Champions League.
‘This video, filmed in private, evidently contains unacceptable remarks coming from a PSG player towards his team-mates and especially towards the manager Laurent Blanc.’
Aurier told RMC Sport: ‘It is a big disappointment and a gross error of judgement on my part to have put the club into this situation on the eve of such an important game.
‘I have to apologise to the coach. I have to say it to him especially after all that he has done for me since I arrived here at PSG.
‘I am sorry also to my team-mates and everyone involved with the club, particularly the fans. It is something which should not happen at an important time in the season.
‘Of course I accept the sanctions. They are totally justified. I have been stupid and done something totally inexcusable and as a result, I accept all sanctions coming my way.’
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